On May 4-7, 2017 the "Knafayim" (Wings) program for Russian-speaking youth held a seminar in Moscow.

"Knafayim" is a program for training young prospective leaders of Jewish organizations, teaching them leadership skills alongside with Jewish traditions.

Last time, the academical director of the International Yiddish Center at the World Jewish Congress, Dr. Mordehay Yushkovsky, took part in such event. This time, WJC YC sent its representative, Professor Valery Dymshitz of St. Petersburg University, to give two lectures at the seminar. The topics of his lectures were: "Jewish narrative folklore" and "El Lissitzky and the fate of the Jewish avant-garde".

The first lecture was based upon the folklore collection "Jewish folk tales" published by the lecturer. He told about main genres of Jewish folklore, about similarity and differences between Jewish folklore and about folklore of other peoples.

The second talk was dedicated to the short (1917 – 1919), but very fruitful period in the life of a prominent Jewish artist El (Eli'ezer) Lissitzky. The lecturer stressed the influence of Jewish folk-art on Jewish avant-garde in general and on Lissitzky's graphic in particular.